Vending-machine.



'Patented Ma'y 2o, 1902.

E A WILCOX VENDING MACHINE. (Application filed Aug. 2B, 1901.)

' 2 SheetSI-Sheet 2. Y'

(No Model.)

' /NVEN-TOE u Elmer f/Wlmx 34 B Y UNITED STATES PATENT (DF-FICE.

j ELMER A. WILCOX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssICNOR", BY DIRECT AND MEsNE AssIGNMENTsATO STANDARD vENDINe COMPANY, OF CHI- CACO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION lOF ILLINOIS. j

vEN'olNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,394, dated May 2,0, 1902.

Application iiled August 26, 1901. Serial No. 73,280. (No model.)

devise a practical construction of vending apparatus for vending cigars. It has been devised with special reference Ato the requirements ofthe Internal Revenue Department of the United States Government, and also so as to render the machine safe against some forms of robbery to which it is peculiarly liable.

In the construction of my improved apparatus I form on the face of the device or holder by which the cigars are presented tothe de` livery-openingof the apparatus a series of pockets, one lfor each cigar, and lthe divisions between the pockets are so constructed as to prevent attempts to cut through them or to y break them down in orderV to gain access to cigars in adjacent pockets. The cigar-package in which the cigars are placed by the manufacturer and in which'they may be kept until they are sold to the patrons of the vending apparatus is also fashioned with a series of cigar-pockets corresponding to those on the holder and is shaped on its' reverse side so that its pockets willt into the pockets of the holder, and so its divisions will receive or set over the divisions on the'holder. In other words,the package is so constructed that after being filled with cigars it may be'positioned on the holder with its pockets lying in the'pockets of the holder and with the divisions on'V by persons patronizing the apparatus.v TheseV features, as well as others, by which-both ma-vv chine and package are enabled to conform to the requirements ofthe Government Vregarding vending-machines are fully pointed out in the description given below and will be The cigars are seunderstood from such description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1-is a front elevation of a vendingmachine embodying my invention, partly broken away. Fig. :Zis aside elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detail section of a portion of the machine, showing the action of the coin. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the cigar-package in which the cigars are stored and shipped. Fig. 6 shows in perspective so much of the package as is placed in the machine with the cigars. Fig. 7 is ar section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

In said drawings I have shown one desirable form of the vending-machine of the apparatus. It has a substantially squarev case consisting of end frames 10 10connected at the corners by longitudinal angle-strips 1l l1.

VThe sides and ends of the case are formed of sheeotfglass'lZ 13, the latter being set in a metal plate 13, so that the cigars in the machine are .alwaysk visible. The case is supported at one of'its longitudinal corners by a standard 14, the obj ect of thus arranging itin a cornerwise position being in order that the lower corner may serve as the coin-,receptacle. Another `corner may give room and a desirable location to the lcoin controlling mechanism, the delivery-opening 15 be pel'- mitted to be formed in the center` of one of the inclined upper sides, so that customers lookdown into it and are enabled to clearly see the cigars they have purchased, and the casing be adapted to shed rain if placed out doors. l Y

In the forni illustrated of the invention I employ a wheel or drum 16 as the support or holder on which the package containing the cigars is placed. It revolves on the axis 17, and itsouter surface, is provided with a sea ries of projecting wings or divisions 18, dividing said-surface into pockets 19, each adapted toreceive one of the' pockets of the package. The divisions 18 arel of rigid material, so'- they will resist' any attempt to break them down or cut through them in an eiort to get out the cigar lying in the-pocket next to the one which may be exposed at the opening and which contained the cigar last sold. The end of the casing shown in Fig. 2 is removable andsecured by locks for which keyholes are shown at 40, and the holder is also preferably removable.

The holder is moved a pocket-space at each actuation, so as to enable it to bring the cigars in successive order to the delivery-opening l5, and these actuations may be imparted in any suitable way-as, for instance, to it by the purchaser through the medium ot' the crank 2O on shaft 2l, projecting through the end of the casing. Inside of the casing the shaft carries an enlargement 22, which is slotted on one side to receive the coin as it falls from the coin-slot 2i through the connecting-chute 25. At one end the holder carries a series of teeth 2G, corresponding in number to the pockets, and entering between these teeth, so as to lock the holder, is a spring-actuated catch 27, supported by a stationary arm 2S. The catch has a stem 29, movably held in the arm, and is adapted to be displaced by the coin when the crank is turned, so that the holder will be released, and may then be rotated to the extent of one tooth 2G by the coin. As soon as this has been done the catch enters the tooth-space next in order and again locks the holder. This coin mechanism is not illustrated very fully, and I do not wish to be limited to it or to any particular construction of coin mechanism, as any mechanism which serves to cause the alternate locking and release of the holder or of any other mechanism by which the cigars are caused to be exposed at the delivery on the depositing of the proper coin may be substituted. Vhile I have shown a rotating circular holder, it Will also be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, nor to a holder made in the form of a drum, nor to a movable holder of any kind, as obviously the essentials of the holder are that it be a pocketed one and that it and the delivery-opening change their relative positions, so that a fresh pocket and cigar will be exposed at the opening whenever a coin is deposited.

The package containing the cigars is adapted to be placed intactdn the vending apparatus without change excepting such as is referred to herein. It is desirably formedfrom a continuous strip of paper or other inexpensive lnaterial by corrugating or bending the strip transversely, thus forming the cigarpockets 30 and the hollow divisions 31 between the pockets. If the package is to be used on a circular holder, like that shown, the series of pockets and divisions is bent into circular form, as shown at Fig. G, so as to adapt the package to be slipped endwise onto the holder, and preferably one end of the package is secured to a disk 32, which not only serves to retain the package in the circular shape, but also as a means of carrying the Government revenue-stamp 33. As this disk is in no wise injured or defaced in the vending-machine, the stamp may remain intact until the package is removed and be clearly visible at all times through the end of the machine. The disk is also made of a somewhat smaller diameter than the pocketed portion of the package, as seen at the upper part of Fig. 5, so as to expose the ends of the cigars and permit their being counted without removing the package or even unlocking the casing. X'Vhen positioned on the holder, the divisions 18 enter the divisions 3l, and render the latter proof against attempts to get at cigars not directly in front of the delivery-opening- The pockets are of asize corresponding to the cigars and expose them at one side, and preferably at one or both ends,and the cigars are secured therein by any means which will render them sai-'e against accidental dropping out and at the same time will not require' much force on the part oi' the purchasers when they take the cigars out of the pockets. A good way to thus se cure the cigars is to paste their bands 34 to the walls (or bottom) of the pockets. Of course it will be understood that the package should not only be fitted to the pockets and divisions of l[he machine in which it is to be used, but be adapted tothe machine in other respects, and that it is not essential to make it either endless or circular, or that the pockets be in one piece, or that they be open at the side.

When the package has been filled with cigars, itis desirable, of course, to cover them so as to render them safe against injury and the loss of their moisture and aroma. This may be done with the package shown by slipping over the package from the end opposite to that at which the disk 32 is applied a iianged cover 35 and securingit to the disk by a binding-strip 3G. When thus covered, the package forms a complete air-tight box adapted to keep the cigars in goed order indeiinitely, and the stamp on it is never covered. The strip 36 is desirably cut away when the package is put into the machine.

The package described is not only a secure one in the protection it affords the cigars prior to their being put in the vending-machine, but it is one which renders the Government secure against frauds on the revenue, and it is also so cheap that it does not increase the cost of the cigars unduly and can be thrown away after one use. When in the machine, it permits inspection of the stamp and the counting of the cigars at any time and in any position which it may assume therein.

Although the casing has been described as being transparent at both sides and ends, it is :not essential that more than one end be so made, nor that the package be adapted to expose both ends of the cigars,because the Government regulations will be satisfied by any exposure of the cigars which will permit them to be counted and the stamps to be inspected. The package shows a blank instead of a pocket at 39 and is positioned on the holder, so that this blank space will be opposite the IIO .delivery-opening ivhen'the package is first inserted, This blank may be dispensed with ifthe opening is provided .with a shutter.

While I have described both package andmachine as intended. for the vending of cigars and have shown only a single cigar in each pocket 0E thei package, I do. not wishto be limited to cigarsfas the articlevended, as

obviously the apparatus described'can beused in vending other articles than cigars and can also be used in .vending pluralities of cigars instead of single ones, it being understood that the pockets will be shaped and sized to correspond to the shape vand size of the articles or collections of articles to be placed therein.

The disk 32 is adapted not only to 'receive the stamp,but also the memorandum required by the Government of thenumber of the factory at which the cigars are made and of they district and State lWhere the factory is situated and the usualwarning against using the box a second time. Y

I claiml. The combination in vendingapparatus,l

' of a holder for the articlebeing vended having pockets with rigid divisions between them, a delivery-opening at which the cigars are delivered, means Vfor causing the successive exposure of the pockets at they opening, and a package having pockets containing the cigars and corresponding to the pockets of the holder and adapted to be placed on the holder? sub-` stantially as specied.

2. The combination in vending apparatus, c

of aholder for the article being vended having.

pockets with rigid divisions betweenthemgfafxv f g p delivery-opening at'which thecigars arede-j-j v liveredrmeans for causing the successive exi-' n psure of"the pockets at the openingyandfa "4o. Y lpa'ck; t.,fe forthe cigars havin-g pocketscorre-- y ff lsponding tothe pockets of the hold ei andy 1 having the divisions lbetvveeujit'spockets reA Y cessed so they Will -setzover r the divisions'on the holder, substantiallygas speciiiedi.V 3. The combination 'in .vendingappara'tns of a package providedwith pockets 2in which Y the articles tobe sold are placed,y and a holder.` Vj o r support for said packagejhaving'pockets lreceiving the f pockets of y the package',-` subi' stantially as specied..v

4: Thecombinationfi'nvending apparatus of a package provided vvvith exterior pockets. in whichthe articlestofbesold are placed-,"-` and a circular holder or support for the pack# age also having exterior pockets 4fitting the` the package,"substantially under surface'of as specified. Y

5. -Thel combination vending apparatus.v of a packagecontaining the articlesto-be sold in pockets or Adivisions and/a holder adaptedto'receive and support saidl package and provided with'pockets orl divisions corresponding to the .pockets or `divisions 'of the' package, said holder being movable and acting to present the pockets of the `package successively at the delivery-opening oftvhe v i apparatus, substantiallyias specified.

Witnesses: v.

EDW. S..EvARTs, HTY M. MUNDAY.l

i ELMERV ArWIL'ooXQ A 

